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    Astera

    4.8 (41 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    Maja J.

    Wow is all I can say after dining there. This was the most incredible experiance I've had in Portland for a vegan restaurant. Incredible. The food was to DIE for, the service was top notch, (shout out Montana & Jason) the space was lovely, nestled in a small little quaint spot. We will absolutely be back. Everything we had was 5 stars, it's too complicated to even write down, mess up, and even think I know what I'm talking about when it comes to these meals if I'm being honest. Mind blown. Thank you so much, and thank you chef Saxton.

    Joan F.

    Astera Restaurant offers a unique dining experience characterized by its fun, casual approach to fine dining, which Chef Aaron describes as "fine dining adjacent." Specializing in plant-based, vegan cuisine, Astera focuses on rejuvenating and celebrating complex, layered flavors. Side dishes might include fermented strawberry, radishes, and charred cucumber oil, showcasing their dedication to innovative and flavorful plant-based dishes. The service and atmosphere were outstanding and casual, which I love. The chefs and the staff were relaxed, focused, and expressive in explaining the Oregon-based food and wine. I was here to celebrate my retirement from my 40+ years as a teacher and educator leader--if my colleague had prefaced this celebration as "fine dining," I would have been dreading it, based on my past, snotty experiences in such restaurants. However, Astera is fun, joyous, and far from a stressed out staff and table-turnover pressure. Other reviews aptly explain the process of how Astera functions, so I'll focus on the food: --Imagine savoring a chilled dish on a hot June evening: delicate porcini and cured tofu raviolo, bathed in a vibrant basil sauce. The raviolo rests on a bed of sungold tomato fondue, its sweetness perfectly complementing the earthiness of the porcini and tofu. Bright calendula petals adorn the dish, adding a splash of color and a subtle floral note. This dish not only refreshes but also delights with its harmonious blend of flavors and textures. --Envision a sophisticated dish perfect for a summer evening: tender lion's mane mushrooms glazed in a rich umami sauce, bringing out their meaty texture and deep flavors. Accompanying the mushrooms is a crispy seaweed buñuelo, infused with Oregon dulse and hemp, adding a delightful crunch and a hint of the ocean. Fresh herbs and agretti garnish the plate, offering bright, herbaceous notes that balance the umami richness. This dish showcases a masterful blend of textures and flavors, capturing the essence of gourmet plant-based cuisine. --Picture a dish that is both elegant and rich in flavor: herb-crusted aged cashew-hazelnut cheese, offering a creamy and nutty profile. It is paired with a sweet and tangy boysenberry jam that finished with a bit of heat and a smooth garlic "honey" purée, creating a delightful contrast of flavors. Alongside, you'll find lacto-fermented Hakurei turnip and unripe strawberries, adding a refreshing and tangy element to the plate. To complete this culinary experience, seeded crackers provide the perfect almost crunchy vehicle for savoring each component. This dish is a testament to the artistry of plant-based cuisine, balancing complexity and simplicity. And I thought I knew what strawberries tasted like. Astera teaches as much as it delights. We savored our food, our conversation, and our learning. Our plan is to return each season to discover what Chef Aaron and his brilliant team is dreaming up and delivering so well. If I hadn't experienced Astera myself, I might have thought it was a Portlandia caricature featuring Fred the Turnip. But it turned out to be the perfect celebration of my beautiful career, leaving me rejuvenated and hopeful.

    Third and final dessert course
    Erin N.

    Totally Vegan tasting menu, everything painstakingly and ethically sourced. I was treated to a birthday dinner experience here and it was an EXPERIENCE. Seating at 6 and doors did not open until 6pm on the nose. Seats were pre-assigned and there was room for eight couples, including four seats at "the bar" which has an amazing view of each course being plated. Plan for a full evening of dining, between parking and leaving we were there for about three hours. Chef Aaron welcomed everyone and gave an introduction to the concept, sourcing, and each team member. There was also an introduction to each course as they were presented, starting with savory snacks, three savory courses, and three dessert courses. The menu is different every day so I hope I can save up enough $$ to come back again! We splurged on both the wine pairings and the temperance pairing. Honestly, I preferred the house fermented kefirs over the wines and ciders! I had no idea kefir could be so varied and flavorful, not to mention perfectly paired with each course. I'm not a fan of mushrooms, but the candy cap kefir was amazing and not something I would ever try willingly, but I could have savored two more glasses of the stuff very happily. Music was delightful to this generation-xer, if a little loud early on as we were sitting directly under a speaker and struggled to hear the introduction. I did mention that and chef A took care to lower the volume for each subsequent course introduction which was very much appreciated. Not pictured: we were also presented with a copy of the menu in a hand addressed envelope with a golden seal and a box of treats to savor later as a memento of the experience. Very very nice. I really hope to be able to return and experience another seaons's tastings!

    Nettle pasta, cashew ricotta, local mushrooms, spruce essence, wild onion
    Cara H.

    This is an upscale restaurant that hosts two seating per night. We arrived for our 5PM reservation and were greeted promptly as promised. From the moment we arrived we were treated with deference and care. Every staff member, as well as Chef Adams, was thoughtful of our needs and anticipated them before we could ask. The restaurant itself is charming and eclectic. Framed art, potted plants, serve ware and an abundance of cookbooks are arranged neatly creating an atmosphere of warmth and welcome. We were fortunate enough to be seated at the Chef's counter and enjoyed engaging, knowledgeable and informative conversation throughout our visit. Our reservation was for the seven course spring menu and as soon as the first appetizer arrived we knew we were in for an outstanding experience. Each course was thoughtfully and meticulously prepared. Each dish was an explosion of flavor and always a delight! The creative combinations of flavors and textures left us in awe of Chef Aaron's skill and creativity. The attention to each detail, recipes, hospitality, plating and ambiance was impeccable. We could not have been more impressed. We hope to return again and again!

    Beets
    Holly S.

    Chef Aaron and Team present an off-the-charts seven course dinner that will far surpass any expectations you have. Chef Aaron explains each dish which showcases his knowledge and passion for every element of each dish. You can see, feel, and taste the entire team's love and passion in the food and beverages. Book this experience now, you will have no regrets! I highly recommend adding the temperance pairing, for unique, one-of-a-kind beverages by the very special Alma. The interior is somewhat romantic, dim, and cozy. The space is perfect, small, but not too cramped, and not so big you feel a lack of intimacy with Chef, Team, and guests. Worth every mile traveled (from SoCal)!

    Angela A.

    Delicious food and ambiance. Service was quite good. I was very impressed by how it was all vegetarian and how creative the dishes were. I had the kombucha flight as well. Watch the bill though - accidentally paid double tip!

    Koji Beet, North Coast Kraut, Cashew Kefir cream; Cashew Onion Profiterole; continued on the next photo!
    Martina C.

    Oh my Aaron Adams. Workshop is THE best new plant based culinary experience. You have truly outdone yourself this time. Farm Spirit was a favorite special occasion spot for us before it closed and we kept HOPING for a new spot. This was BEYOND our expectations. When you walk in it feels like a large dining area. A community experience. Not just a "date" spot but something you share with everyone dining together. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Unique and fun decor with a full view of everything food related. It's cozy, and intimate. The service is of course 5 star. You are served and treated TOP NOTCH. Now, the FOOD. Just like anything else, when you're sampling MANY items, you are going to LOVE some and some will be meh. I'd say 95% for me was WOW. And 5% was good but not my favorite. The cashew onion profiterole was MIND blowing. I could have eaten a dozen. The texture was just the best. Slightly crispy, creamy center. Soft cashew cheese with a pop of onion. Yum. The seaweed jerky was one of the biggest surprises in the opening plate. It was crunchy and chewy, neither too much over the other and had such great flavor. It was subtle but absolutely delicious. The onion Stroopwaffle with mushroom pate was so delicious it left me wanting many many more. Definitely a close call between if this was my favorite or the profiterole, on the opening plate. Crunchy, creamy and of course well balanced. The next course of the Sungold tomatoes, figs, fennel, pickled green strawberry & caramelized soubise was good. What stood out so much to me was the pickled green strawberry. It had such a bold acidity which was a fun palate party paired with the smooth and rich caramelized soubise. The next course came out and I was not really interested. I felt like whoop dee doo it's soup. Tomato consomme is a fancy way to say soup. With "corn custard" and basil essence. It sounded pretentious even. And I expected cold tomato soup. WHY would I think such nonsense?! For Chef Aaron Adams to serve that would have been a real joke. What came out was beautiful. But the flavor was MIND BLOWING. What I thought would be the most basic dish was killing me with flavor. I savored absolutely every bite of this dish. I tasted each component separately and with them all together and it was PHENOMENAL. Next up the Homs Kousa squash, Abenaki corn porridge, fermented Jimmy Nardello, cashew yogurt, tomatillo and smoked eggplant. The flavor was good but this dish didn't give me the texture I love to have. I always need something crunchy in some way and it was creamy and felt like fall but I wanted more texture. Lions Mane, elderberry demi glace, potato puree and pickled red onions came next. This was perfect. All of the flavors combined beautifully. Soft mushrooms with acidity from the pickled red onions, sweetness from the demi glace and SOFT and creamy potato puree (literally the best mash EVER... Because it was a puree it was smooth and delightful!) Dessert came too soon but the Charentais melon granita, lemon cream, filbert hit the spot. I dislike ALL melon. All. I know. I'm weird. But I do. I loved this dessert. It had such light flavor in the granita and the lemon cream & filbert just brought in a perfect palate cleanser and freshness. Our last plate was the Blackberry Tarte, sweet cashew cheese, stirred custard and flax tuile was as beautiful as it was delicious. And we took lots of photos of the tuile as it looked like RBG's collar. Our group of diners on 8/11/23 got a real treat by Chef Aaron sharing about his upbringing and culinary loves as well as his family's influence on his cooking. We got an extra special treat to sing his Nana Happy birthday as a group. I don't recall her exact age but she was a healthy older lady with a lot of spunk left and clearly many healthy years ahead. I'm CRAZY in love with this new dining experience and I'll be back!!! Thank you Chef Aaron and the team at Workshop for a phenomenal experience.

    Little tray of snacks
    Lakshmi M.

    Gosh where do I even begin? I'd definitely been a fan of Fermenter so when I heard about Workshop, I knew I would have to try it out. After looking at the reservations on and off for weeks, my husband finally said let's GO, we're pulling the trigger. And off we went. We prepaid for a Saturday dinner seating and opted for 1 wine pairing for me when booking. We arrived a little before our seating time and waited outside while they finished setting up; not too long and thankfully it wasn't too cold or rainy. Once inside, we were all directed to our tables/bar seats. I will say right off the bat that if you sit at the bar, it will be much more interactive and involved. If that's your vibe, go for it! However, if you're a little bit more of an introvert, opt for a table -- it'll still be interactive, but not to the same degree or frequency. I will say every single thing we tried during our tasting was delicious. I was hesitant about some of the flavor combinations but honestly, everything had a lot of thought put into it. The dishes were all delicate, subtle, and well balanced. I will say being a fermented food junkie, I will dream of the fermented watermelon rind for days to come. Honestly, salivating as I type this because it was just the perfect, salty/tart little bite. That's not to say that everything else wasn't amazing. I will say the standouts for me were the celeriac and the lions mane. Good lord, I can't stop thinking of just how savory the lions mane was; perfectly paired with the potato puree and the demi glace was honestly one of the best things I have ever tasted in my life. The one course I wasn't huge on was the squash but it was mostly a me problem because I'm not huge on cinnamon or classic fall flavors. Hence, didn't like it very much. The apple cake that we ended up on delicious and would absolutely eat that again! As others have noted, I will say the wine pairing was a good experience, but not quite sure I'd do it again. My husband did get a no proof drink to try but it was quite intense and sweet so he sipped at it in between bites. Service was very friendly and we were definitely well taken care of. Parking wise, street parking in the area is not the worst! I think the price of the tasting is worth every penny when you look at all of the time, effort, and detail put into the dishes. Vegan or not, I highly recommend checking out this place -- I can guarantee you will not leave disappointed.

    Menu
    Niku T.

    My first time visiting Portland and Astera is one of the highlights of my trip! I loved the flavors and use of fresh ingredients that I've otherwise haven't tried together before. The atmosphere was very comfortable and made the experience enjoyable. For attire, there was a mix of those dressed up casual, business casual, or out on date nights. If you're looking for a fun experience and trying unique flavor combinations, you won't be disappointed! Service was also on top of making sure each guest was satisfied. My guest had allergies that they accommodated. We would love to visit again the next time I visit!

    Finger food!
    Todd M.

    I love tasting menus because they take the decision making out of eating and let you sit back and enjoy what the chef deems best. And with the super-local ingredients and seasonality of Workshop, you're always in for a treat. Every one of the 6 courses was so different and unique. Some of the dishes were amazing misdirects - meaning you had no idea what taste would accompany the beautiful art on the plate in front of you. "This is vegan!?" was said several times because of the richness and textures of the dishes. The space is cozy and intimate with fun and quirky art. The tables are small and best for 4 people or less. Chef Adams even came over to say hello. Highly recommend dropping by this Workshop!

    Vegan caviar
    Hee Y.

    We were one of the first patrons to arrive on Sunday right when it opened at 5pm. We were worried there would be a wait, but the restaurant continued to have plenty of seating for the next 1-2 hours. We grabbed a table right next to the window. The restaurant is more suited for parties of 2. We heard from the waitress that they only accept reservations for parties larger than 5. We love Fermenter next door, so of course we had to visit Workshop once it opened. I love all of the details included in the space - the portraits on the walls, the lamps on each table... We ordered the Yes Whey cocktail & two appetizers (popcorn sazón & tiny peppers con queso blanco), which were discounted because we came during happy hour. I would order the tiny peppers again because it was creamy and tart. The Vegan Caviar was very unique and savory. I loved how fun it was to put it all together. Tempeh, pepita curd & calçots was so delicious. We were glad to have ordered the Citrus & Kohlrabi salad as a nice refreshing balance to the rich tempeh dish. For dessert, we ordered the orange olive oil cake. It was super moist.

    Peach ice cream
    Jim B.

    This small, intimate restaurant serves a fixed vegan menu twice a night to 10 tables. The chef and owner Aaron announces the intention and the composition of the dishes. Each one is sourced from farmer's markets and Oregon provisioners, masterfully prepared, and beautifully plated. Everything was delightful, and included a number of ingredients that I had never consumed before. You know you can't go wrong when there's not one, not two, not three, but six desserts, including one he sends home with you with a note of appreciation. We had the Temperance Pairing of Kambuchas and Kefirs, and all but one were perfect. The amount of time that the chefs spend preparing the meals is phenomenal; you will learn about some of that during your time there. Loud music such as The Cure plays while you eat. Aaron is happy to talk to you about anything in between preparing the courses. Especially appreciated is that he donates to two organizations, including our favorite Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary. The total came to $370 for two, because they add a "junk" 20% "Workshop Service Fee" to the bill on top of the tip, and I didn't notice until it was too late. I would much prefer they just include that in the $110 base price.

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